Fleshing-machine.



PATENTED OCT. 24:, 1905.

F. J. PERKINS. PLESHING MACHINE.

APILIUATION FILED JULY 22,1904.

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QM $1M No. 802,873. PATENTED OCT 24, 1905.

' F. J. PERKINS.

PLBSHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED-JULY 22.1904.

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No. 802,878. PATENTED OCT. 24, 1905. F.J. PERKINS.

FLESHING MACHINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 22,1904.

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UNITED srA r jisf ra'ruuT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN PERKINS, or ii -oiiiaii 'MAsS'AoniiS-ETTs, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO TURNERITANN-ING MACHINERY COMPANY, o'F oSToN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION.

FLESHlNG- MACHINE. 7

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 2%, 1905 Application filed July 22, 1904. Serial No. 217,733.

To all whom, it 772,11 concern.-

13c it known that I, FRANKLIN J. PERKINS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Woburn, in the county of Middlesex, State of h Iassachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Fleshing-Machines, of which the following is aspecification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention is an improvement on the fleshing-machine of the well-lmown type in which a skin or hide is laid over the outside of adrum and the drum thereafter rotated to bring the hide beneath an operating-roll which performs the desired operation upon the surface of the hide.

My invention has for its object to provide certain improvements in these machines in order that they may be more simple in construction and satisfactory in operation, and.

more especially to enable the drum of the machine to be rotated in either direction without injury to the machine, thus saving considerable time and enabling the operator to work the hides considerably more rapidly.

Referring to the drawings, Figure lis a -side elevation of the driving mechanism,

showing one end of the drum. Fig. 2 is a section on line 2 2 through the drum looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the stopping mechanism and some of the parts connected therewith.

the stop for the drum.

in the drawings, 1 is a drum covered at its outer surface with a bolster 2, of rubber or other suitable material, and mounted upon a drum-axle 3, which is carried by the frame 4 of the machine. mounted upon a pair of swing-arms 32, the

construction of which will be later particu-, 'larly described, is the operating-tool 5, which is driven by a belt 6 from the large pulley 7, mounted on driving-shaft 8. The driving" to drive the drum in the reverse direction, thus giving the drum 1 a slower movement when it is reversed thanwhen it is moving Fig. 4 is a detail of one of the Fig. 5 is a detail of Above the drum 1 and forward. The open belt 11 and the crossbelt 12 operate, respectively, upon the pulleys 13 and 14, fast on the main shaft 15 of the machine. On the main pulley-shaft 15 is a pair of friction-clutches 16 and 17 of the well-known type. A shipper-handle 18 is pivoted to a shipper-shaft19 and serves to move the double cone 20 longitudinally on the shaft 15 to engage the clutch-levers 21 and 22 and to operate one or the other of the clutches, as the case may be. By the movement of the shipper-handle 18 toward the right the drive takes place through the open belt 11, while by movement toward the left the drive takes'place in the reverse direction through the cross-belt 12. When in the midposition, the machine stands still. 7

The drum is driven by means of the following arrangement of gears and shafts: Fast upon the outer end of the shaft 15 is a small gear 72, which meshes with a large gear 71 upon one end of the shaft 70, at the other end of which is a gear 74, which'meshes with the large gear 73, fast upon the drum-axle 3. The gears just referred to are indicated in Fig. 2 by their pitch-circles in dash-lines, and in Fig. 1 gears 72 and 7 1 are slightly offset on their respective shafts, so that they may be distinguished from the larger gears 71 and 73, respectively.

In order that the proper working of the hide may be accomplished by the machine, it is necessary that the operating-tool be pressed against the surface of the hide with a variable pressure, which is at all times under the control of the operator, and that it Shall not be possible for the operator to move the tool so that it will come in contact with the drum or the bolster thereon. To this end the operating-tool 5 is supported upon two swing-arms, one of which, 32,- is seen in Fig. 2. The arm 32 is pivoted at 33 to the top of the frame 4:-

The operating-tool 5 is journaled in special boxes (clearly seen in Fig.4) and so arranged that no binding or unnecessary friction will occur by reason of any difference in the movc ments of the two swing-arms 32. At suitable I00 points in each of the swing-arms 32 are cored out or otherwise suitably produced spherical hollows, within which are received correspondingly-spherical portions 303 of the two halves 301 and 302 of the boxes. The halves 301 and 302 are held together with bolts and the operator to bring the operating-roll in nay be bushed and provided with oiling means, as may be desired. I have shown the boxes as provided with oilingr ings 304, because that is the form in which Iliave put my invention into actual use. By the useof these improved ball-and-socket boxes the roll may adjust itself to any slight variation of the swing-arms 32. I find that this results in much more satisfactory running of the machine than has heretofore been found possible. The free end of the arms 32 is supported by a pair of vertical rods or pillars 331, which are in turn pivoted at 34 to the short end of a balancing-lever, which moves about a shaft 35 as a fulcrum. This balancing-lever has a long arm 36, extending backwardly through the machine, and is provided with a weight 37 sufficient to counterbalance the weight of the operating-roll and its supporting-arms 32 and the intermediate connections. Fast to this shaft 35 is an arm 38, at the outer end of which is a treadle 39, by the depression of which the shaft 35 is caused to turn slightly, and the operating-roll 5 is moved downwardly upon the work with a pressure determined by the pressure which the operator applies to the treadle 39. For the sake of obtaining an adjustment between the supporting-arms 32 and the short end of the balancing-lever the ends of the pillar 331 are provided with right and left hand screws, as shown at 40 and 41, engaging correspondingly-tapped holes in the end pieces 42 and 43. By turning the central rod of the supporting-pillar 331 the required adjustment may be had. Set-screws 44 and 45 are also provided to prevent the loosening of the parts.

In a hole tapped in the upwardly-projecting portion 46 of each end frame 4 of the machine is placed a bolt 47, provided with a setnut 48. The supporting-arms 32 come in contact with t e tops of these bolts 47, andthus any further downward movement of the supporting-arms and operating-roll carried thereon is prevented, so that it is impossible for contact with the drum of the machine or with the bolster thereon. The just-described construction is made simpler than previous constructions and is therefore cheaper to build and less liable to get out of order or do damage to the machine in the hands of an unskilled or careless operator.

In order that the drum may be made to stop immediately when desired, abrake mechanism is provided which consists of a brake-beam 23, pivoted at 24 and provided with a weight 25 and a brake-band 26, passing over the brakepulley 261 on the main shaft of the machine. At right angles with the shipper-shaft 19 is a cross-shaft 27, provided with a section of a gear 28, which meshes with agear-section 29, fast to the shipper-shaft 19. Attached to the cross-shaft 27 is a vertical movable member or stop-bar 30, hereinafter more fully described, and a cam or brake actuator 31, which is directly beneath the brake-beam 23 and is arranged so that whenever the cross-shaft 27 and the stop-bar 30 are moved either way by the movement of the shipper handle 18 through the gears 28 and 29 the brake-beam 23 is lifted by one end or the other of the cam 31, thus loosening the brake-band 26 on the brake-pulley 261. Upon the spider 62 at the end of the drum 1 is placed a pin 63, arranged to contact with the vertical stop-bar 30 above referred to. Aswill be seen from the foregoing, the brakeband 26 is loosened from the brake-pulley 261 whenever the shipper-handle vl8 is out of its vertical positionz'. 6., whenever the drive is taking place either backward or forward, as the case may be and also that the brake-band operates to cause the drum to cease its rotation whenever the shipper-handle 18 is in its vertical position and no power is being applied to the main shaft through the clutches 16 and 17. This construction prevents all possibility of racing and causes the machine to come almost instantly to a stop when the shipper-handle 18 is in its mid-position.

To hold the hide in place upon the drum during the operation of the machine, the following means is provided: A clamp 49, composed of two end beams, one of which, 50, is seen in Fig. 2, and a longitudinal beam 51, is mounted upon the drum-axle 3, a box for the drum-axle being provided by another block 52. Parallel with the longitudinal beam 51 and attached thereto are two strips 53 and 54, projecting slightly over the lower edge of the longitudinal beam, as shown in Fig. 2. On the longitudinal beam 55 of the drum 1 is placed a strip 56 of a width equal to the thickness of the longitudinal beam 51 of the clamp 49. When a hide is thrown over the edge of the drum and its longitudinal beam 55 and the drum is rotated in the forward direction, as indicated by the arrow on Fig. 2, the skin is tightly gripped between the strip 56 and the edges of the various members of the clamp 49. Attached to a lug 57 on the clamp and to another lug- 58 on the inside of the drum is a heavy spiral spring 59, which tends to hold the clamp 49 down against the edge of the drum 1 and against the tension of which the clamp is separated from the edge of the drum to release the hide. I find that the use of a spring thus placed greatly simplifies the construction and also is particularly valuable, since it permits the clamp and drum mechanism to be self-contained and to be completely rotated, if desired. While I have described the clamp 49 as made up of various members, since that is the way in which I have put the invention into actual operation, I do not wish to limit myself to this particular form of clamp, since there are other forms which may be successfully used without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Heretofore in fleshing-machines of this type it has not been possible to permit the drum to make afull rotation in either direction about its axle, and it has beennecessary for the operator of the machine to keepa very careful Watch upon the machine to see that the drum does not turn too far, and thus cause serious injury to the various parts of the machine. In my machine the drum is permitted to rotate freely in either direction without any possibility of damage to the rest of the machine. Heretofore it has also been necessary in machines of this character for the operator after he has completed working the portion of the hide upon the outside of the drum to reverse the machine and back up the drum until the clamp is separated from the drum sufliciently to permit the hide to be removed. In my new machine it is possible for the operator to allow the drum to continue its rotation in the same direction without this necessity for reversing, thus saving a considerable amount of time in the operation of the machine. To accomplish this result,I provide each end frame 4 of the machine with amovable stop or pawl 60, (see Figs. 2 and 5,) which is pivoted to a yoke 61 at 620 and has its back portion of the shape shown in Fig. 5, so that when in the full-line position, as seen in that figure, its end rests against the yoke 61 and it cannot be moved farther. These pawls or ratchets 60 contact with the end of the clamp 49 and prevent the movement of the clamp back of the point at which the stop is located upon the end frame of the machine.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The hide or skin to be worked is thrown over the edge of the revolvingdrum 1 by the operator when the drum is in the position shown in Fig. 2. The operator then pulls the shipper-handle in the proper direction to start the drum forward and the drum begins its rotation. The upper edge comes in contact with the clamp 49, thus pinching the skin or hide closely between the various members by the action of the spring 59. The drum then continues its rotation in the same direction and the skin or hide is worked by the operatingtool 5 as it is carried beneath it by the drum,

the operator depressing the tool 5 upon the 1 hide by means of the treadle 39 and the intermediate connections. When the entire surface of the hide which is upon the outside of the drum has been worked, the operator may allow the drum to continue its rotation tion instead of reversing it the clamp 49 passes the position of the stop or ratchet 60, when the stop or ratchet 60 drops down into place. The operator then reverses the drum and the clamp 49 catches against the stop or pawl 60, thus preventing any further movement on the part of the clamp and releasing the hide. As above described, when the shipper-arm handle 18 is moved from its vertical position to start the machine the vertical stop-bar 30is also moved slightly from its vertical position. When the drum backs up to release the hide from the clamp, the pin 63 on the end of the drum comes in contact with the upper end of the vertical stop-bar 30 and causes it to resume its normal vertical position. This movement of the vertical stop-bar 30 causes the brake to be set by means of the cam 31. If the operator desires to bring the drum and the clamp 49 into position for releasing the hide by allowing the drum and clamp to continue their rotation, the vertical stop-bar 30 is held out of engagement with the pin 63; but when the machine is reversed the vertical stop-bar 30 again comes into the path of the pin 63. By this means the drum 1 is prevented from rotating too far when the operation of separating the clamp from the edge of the drum is taking place.

that I. claim is- 1. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with the drum and the operating-tool, of a clamp for holding the skin upon the drum, a spring attached at one end to the clamp and at the other to the drum and tending to close the clamp upon the drum and a pawl upon a fixed part of the machine cooperating with the said clamp to release it when a predetermined point in the reverse movement of the drum and clamp is reached.

2. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with the drum and the operating-tool, of a clamp for holding the skin upon the drum, and a pawl upon a fixed part of the machine and cooperating with the said clamp to allow the clamp free movement in one direction and prevent it in the other direction.

3. In a machine of the character specified the combination with the drum and the operating-tool, of a clamp for holding the skin upon the drum, a pawl cooperating with the clamp upon the reverse movement only of the clamp and drum and preventing movement of the clamp past the pawl, a brake and actuatin means therefor operated by the drum whereby the brake is set and the drum stopped when the drum reaches a given position.

4. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with the drum, and the op erating-tool, of a brake. a brake-actuator operating to release the brake, a cross-shaft on which the said brake-actuator is mounted, a movable member operatively connected with the said cross-shaft, a stop on the said drum engaging the said movable member to move it and its connected parts, a shipper-handle by movement from whose mid-position the drum is started forward or reversed. a shipper-shaft therefor, and connections between the said cross and shipper shafts, whereby simultaneous movement of the said movable member and shipper-handle is produced.

5. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with the drum, and the opcrating-tool, of a brake, acam operating when moved from its mid-position to release the brake, a cross-shaft therefor, a movable member on the said cross-shaft, a stop on the said drum engaging the said movable member to move it and its connected parts, a shipperhandle-by movement from whose mid-position the drum is started forward or reversed, a shipper-shaft therefor, and connections between the said cross and shipper shafts,whereby simultaneous movement of the said movtherefor, and a pair of intermeshing gears on the said cross and shipper shafts, respectively, whereby simultaneous movement of the stopbar and shipper-handle is produced.

7. In a machine of the character specified, the combination with the drum, and the operating-tool, of a clamp for holding the skin upon the drum, a ratchet-stop upon a fixed part of the machine cooperating with the said clamp to release it when the movement of the drum and clamp is reversed, a brake, a brakeactuator operating to release the brake, a cross-shaft on which the said brake-actuator is mounted, a movable member operatively connected with the said cross-shaft, a stop on the said drum engaging the said movable member to move it and its connected parts, a shipper-handle by movement from Whose midposition the drum is started forward or reversed, a shipper-shaft therefor, and connections between the cross and shipper shafts, whereby simultaneous movement of the said movable member and shipper-handle is pro duced.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' FRANKLIN J. PERKINS. Witnesses:

WM. A. MAoLEoD, GEORGE P. DIKE. 

